She didn't say much about Iraq there, but afterward, she talked about the war, an issue on
which she differs with some of the city's liberal activists. She met privately downtown with a delegation representing military
families opposed to the war and calling for an early troop withdrawal.

Seattle Times:05/05/06Cantwell's stance on Iraq keeps volunteers away, party chief saysThat point was made recently on the popular local liberal blog washblog.com. Arthur Ruger, a state employees
union leader, wrote about what he called Cantwell's "blind and proud unwillingness to recognize a foolish and cowardly political
act" in voting for the war. But he said tough questions about the war should not be seen as opposition to her re-election.
"I'm going to vote for Maria but she gets no free pass from me," Ruger wrote.

Tacoma News Tribune:03/20/2006Community marches against warJoe Colgan, of Kent, said his son, Army 2nd Lt. Benjamin J. Colgan, was killed by a roadside
bomb in Baghdad in November of 2003 while serving in an artillery unit. After what’s come out about
the conflict, he said, the fact that more people aren’t protesting “drives me nuts.” Lietta
Ruger, whose son-in-law and nephew, both 28, are in the Army and facing additional time in Iraq, said she hoped her efforts
would prevent other families from feeling the uncertainty and pain of having loved ones in Iraq. An Iraq
war veteran took the stage with her. “I did nothing positive in Iraq,” said Joshua Farris,
24, who said he served as an Army cavalry scout during the war’s first six months.